Introducing
HUṠWEJ
HUṠWEJ (pronounced HOOSH-way) – meaning “wish” in the Nisenan language – is the new public-facing name of California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (CHIRP), the Tribally-guided nonprofit organization of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe.
While we continue to operate legally as California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project, this new name reflects who we are today: a living, evolving, Tribally-guided organization rooted in Cultural revitalization, land stewardship, community wellness, and Tribal sovereignty.
This is not a new organization. It is a renewed identity.
What HUṠWEJ Means
HUṠWEJ means “wish” or “prayer” in the Nisenan language.
The name embodies the collective hopes, dreams, and intentions of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan People – rooted in Cultural revitalization, healing, stewardship of Ancestral Homelands, and the enduring presence and visibility of the Tribe.
With the rematriation of Yulića, for the first time in generations, the Tribe has been able to come together in a unified way to envision a thriving future – one grounded in responsibility to past and future generations.
HUṠWEJ represents that collective wish.
The Tribally-guided nonprofit serves as a “wish fulfillment vehicle” – a support structure that transforms intention into action through Cultural revitalization and language reclamation, land rematriation and stewardship, Tribal Youth and Community Wellness programming, Archival development and preservation, and public education and visibility through art.
Using a Nisenan word is not merely symbolic. It is part of the work. Language is a living expression of identity, relationship, and sovereignty.
Through HUṠWEJ, we honor the past, carry responsibility in the present, and build a foundation for the future.
Why the Change?
CHIRP began as a research project. Research and archival work remain foundational to what we do, but we have grown far beyond that original scope.
Today, our work includes:
Tribal-led land stewardship
Cultural arts programming
Youth development
Community Wellness initiatives
Land rematriation efforts
Educational partnerships and public engagement
HUṠWEJ reflects this evolution – aligning our name with the depth, breadth, and future of the Tribe’s vision.
This transition is also part of a broader commitment to language revitalization and Indigenous self-determination, centering Nisenan worldview in both practice and public presence.
Same Organization, Renewed Identity
What is NOT changing:
Legal Name: California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project
501(c)(3) nonprofit status and EIN
Governance and leadership
Mission and programs
Existing grants, contacts, and partnerships
What IS Changing
Public facing name: HUṠWEJ
Primary website and email domain: huswej.org
Visual identity and branding materials
Public communications and outreach
For clarity during the transition, we will continue referencing: California Heritage: Indigenous Research Project (DBA HUṠWEJ) in formal documentation.
How to Say HUṠWEJ
Correct pronunciation is an act of respect and Cultural visibility.
IPA Phonetic Transcription: [ˈhuʃ.wej]
Pronounced: HOOSH-way
Two syllables, stress on the first syllable
[h] is like "h" in "home"
[u] is like “oo” in “too”
[ʃ] is like “sh” in “shoe"
[wej] sounds like “way”
Listen to the pronunciation below:
Speaking Nisenan words aloud supports language revitalization and honors the living presence of Indigenous Culture in this region
Join Us
HUṠWEJ reflects a shared commitment to Cultural continuity, reciprocity, and a future rooted in respect for the Nisenan People and their Ancestral Homelands.
We invite you to:
Explore our work
Share this announcement
Continue walking alongside us
Support the fulfillment of this collective wish